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Nottingham Trent University receives large donation in memory of inspirational lecturer

The family behind a successful Nottingham business is making a substantial gift to Nottingham Trent University in memory of one of its inspirational lecturers and authors.

    Professor Edward Peck, Vice Chancellor NTU (left) with Dr John Ellis
    Prof Edward Peck and Dr John Ellis

    The family behind a successful Nottingham business is making a substantial gift to Nottingham Trent University in memory of one of its inspirational lecturers and authors.

    The gift by Dr John Ellis, who founded Exel Computer Systems Plc in Nottingham more than 30 years ago, and his wife Elizabeth, will help establish a memorial fund after their late daughter, Dr Pauline Polkey.

    Dr Polkey lectured in English in the late 1990s, and co-authored two books: “Women's Lives into Print: The Theory, Practice and Writing of Feminist Auto/biography" published in 1999; and "Representing Lives: Women and Auto/biography" published in 2000. Dr Polkey passed away in December, 1999.

    Dr Pauline Polkey is fondly remembered by colleagues as a great teacher and someone who made a real difference to both her students and our understanding of feminists’ accounts of their lives and time

    Prof Edward Peck

    The funds will be used to establish The Dr Pauline Polkey Archive Centre, the Dr Pauline Polkey Archives and Special Collections, and The Dr Pauline Polkey Scholarships.

    Professor Edward Peck, Vice-Chancellor of Nottingham Trent University, said: “Dr Pauline Polkey is fondly remembered by colleagues as a great teacher and someone who made a real difference to both her students and our understanding of feminists’ accounts of their lives and times. We are delighted to have the opportunity to celebrate Dr Polkey’s work and achievements.

    "The opportunity to create an important and accessible archive of authors’ works here at Nottingham Trent – and to help fund future students to study these materials – is a significant development for the University and the City. We would not be able to invest in these priorities in the way we are if it were not for the generosity of John and Elizabeth Ellis. We are deeply grateful to them for choosing to support Nottingham Trent.”

    The Dr Pauline Polkey Scholarships will aim to help a number of Arts and Humanities students each year with the full programme being launched in September 2018.

    The Dr Pauline Polkey Archive Centre will be housed at the NTU School of Arts and Humanities. Mr and Mrs Ellis are also donating Dr Polkey’s collection of books, which will serve as the founding gift for the new Archive Centre.

    • Notes for editors

      • Nottingham Trent University was named University of the Year 2017 at the Times Higher Education Awards and Modern University of the Year in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2018. The award recognises NTU for its strong student satisfaction, quality of teaching, overall student experience and engagement with employers.
      • Nottingham Trent University (NTU) has been awarded the highest, gold, rating in the Government’s Teaching Excellence Framework for its outstanding teaching and learning.
      • NTU is one of the largest UK universities with nearly 28,000 students and more than 3,500 staff across four campuses, contributing £496m to the UK economy every year. It is one of the most environmentally-friendly universities, containing some of the country’s most inspiring and efficient award-winning buildings.
      • The University is passionate about creating opportunities and its extensive outreach programme is designed to enable Nottingham Trent to be a vehicle for social mobility. NTU is the sixth biggest recruiter of students from disadvantaged backgrounds in the country and 95.6% of the its graduates go on to employment or further education within six months of leaving.
      • NTU is home to world-class research, winning The Queen’s Anniversary Prize in 2015 - the highest national honour for a UK university. It recognised the University’s pioneering projects to improve weapons and explosives detection in luggage, enable safer production of powdered infant formula and combat food fraud.
      • With an international student population of approximately 2,600 from around 100 countries, the University prides itself on its global outlook.
    Published on 13 February 2018
    • Subject area: English, history and philosophy
    • Category: Press office; School of Arts and Humanities